CAP and Partners Call for Standardized Fellowship Recruitment Across Subspecialties
With recruitment pressures mounting, national pathology societies are aligning on a unified approach that could benefit both applicants and clinical lab leadership.
Laboratory leaders play a central role in shaping the future pathology workforce—not only through daily operations and training, but by supporting broader efforts that impact recruitment, equity, and retention across the field. As workforce challenges continue to affect many institutions, a new joint statement from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and 12 other national pathology organizations highlights an important step forward: standardizing the fellowship recruitment process across subspecialties.
“Our residents and fellows deserve a recruitment process that puts their needs first,” said CAP President Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP.
“By supporting this match effort, we’re advancing fairness, transparency, and a more unified future for our profession,” noted Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP. (Photo copyright: GW Cancer Center.)
Spearheaded by the Association for Academic Pathology (AAPath) Fellowship Directors Committee, the joint statement recommends participation in the 2027 match cycle, placing fellows into programs for the 2028–29 academic year. Several subspecialties—including Hematopathology, Molecular Genetic Pathology, and Forensic Pathology—have already committed to joining by the 2026–27 cycle.
Future Workforce Planning
For clinical lab leaders involved in workforce planning, aligning recruitment timelines may offer benefits such as improved coordination, greater equity for applicants, and a more structured approach to fellow selection. Survey data cited in the joint statement indicate that “a substantial majority (~85%) of trainees desire a standardized timeline for fellowship recruitment,” with a similar percentage of program directors supporting broader interview opportunities before applicants make decisions.
Additionally, programs that bypass a coordinated process “are discouraged from asking for a commitment from any applicant before the common date chosen by the subspecialty”—a recommendation designed to curb early-offer dynamics that “harm, or perceive harm,” to programs aligned with the common timeline.
CAP emphasizes that this move is part of its larger workforce strategy. “This initiative builds on its broader advocacy to improve training, recruitment, and retention across the specialty,” the organization stated.
Given ongoing concerns about trainee experience and consistency across programs, clinical laboratory leaders may be encouraged to support efforts that promote fair and sustainable fellowship recruitment practices across pathology subspecialties.
—Janette Wider
